Seismic Assault MTG Card
1998-06-15 - Number 101
2001-04-11 - Number 216
2001-04-11 - Number 216★
2003-07-28 - Number 219
2003-07-28 - Number 219★
2007-07-13 - Number 228
2018-12-07 - Number 146
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
Choose and discard a land card: Seismic Assault deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
The flowstone seemed for a moment to assume Greven's rage—it lunged like a wild beast at the *Weatherlight*.
Cards like Seismic Assault
Seismic Assault is an iconic Magic: The Gathering card that resonates with players fond of lands-based strategies. Known for its ability to turn excess land cards into direct damage, this enchantment is often compared to cards like Ayula’s Influence. Ayula’s Influence, similar to Seismic Assault, allows players to discard a land card to create a creature token, which can be especially effective in token-generating decks. However, Seismic Assault is distinguished by its direct damage functionality, providing an immediate impact on the game state.
Another comparable card is Swans of Bryn Argoll. When combined with Seismic Assault, this synergy allows players to convert land cards into damage and then draw cards each time the Swans are dealt damage, effectively cycling through the deck rapidly. This differs greatly from Ayula’s Influence’s focus on board presence rather than hand cycling and direct damage.
Finally, Molten Vortex shares a similar land-to-damage mechanism, requiring only a single red mana to activate its ability compared to Seismic Assault’s zero cost activation. While Molten Vortex is a more mana-efficient alternative, Seismic Assault lacks the need to keep red mana open, allowing for greater flexibility during gameplay. As players debate the merits of these cards, Seismic Assault consistently emerges as a favored choice for its ability to influence the board immediately and without additional mana costs.
Cards similar to Seismic Assault by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Seismic Assault. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Assault Loam | Modern | Assault Loam | Modern League 2024-03-20 |
| Indomitable Creativity | Modern | Indomitable Creativity | Modern Preliminary 2024-04-17 (1) |
 | Jund Zombies | Modern | Assault Loam | $10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Sunday - 9:00 am (Gold) |
| Jund Combo | Modern | Assault Loam | Modern $10K Trial - SCG CON Atlanta - Saturday - 4:00 pm (Silver) |
| Jund Aggro | Modern | Assault Loam | $10K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Saturday - 9:00 am (Gold) |
| Jund Control | Modern | Assault Loam | Grand Open Qualifier Prague 2024 |
| Golgari Midrange | Modern | Assault Loam | *HALF PRICE FRIDAY* $5K RCQ - Modern - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 1:00 pm |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Seismic Assault presents a distinct advantage by transforming excess lands in your hand into direct damage against opponents. Unlike traditional card draw, this kind of advantage exploits a different resource axis, ensuring that your land-heavy draws still have the potential to impact the board state and keep you ahead.
Resource Acceleration: Although Seismic Assault itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the conventional sense, its presence on the battlefield can effectively turn each land draw later in the game into a form of resource, as these lands can be directly used as ammunition. This offbeat acceleration stratagem ensures your draws remain live threats.
Instant Speed: The allure of Seismic Assault lies in its ability to operate at instant speed. You can discard lands to deal damage at any time, giving you the flexibility to respond during your opponent’s turn or end step. This instant-speed interaction allows for strategic plays that align with controlling the pace of the game, disrupting opponent strategies and protecting your own interests on the fly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Seismic Assault necessitates the discard of a land card for activation, which can deplete valuable land resources, potentially impeding your game progression, especially if your hand runs dry.
Specific Mana Cost: Demanding a triple red mana cost for play restricts its integration into multi-coloured decks. This makes it a more challenging card to incorporate outside of mono-red or heavy-red combinations.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of three red mana, Seismic Assault is a card that requires a substantial early game mana investment. This can impede the development of your board state and leave you exposed while setting up the combo.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Seismic Assault offers a unique and powerful option for decks that focus on land management. Its ability to turn excess lands into damage enables it to fit within various strategies, from control to landfall-centric decks.
Combo Potential: This card pairs remarkably well with effects that allow players to draw and play multiple lands per turn, setting up devastating combos that can wipe out opponents’ creatures or finish games.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames heavy with creature-based strategies, Seismic Assault emerges as a formidable control tool. The constant threat of damage keeps swarming tactics at bay, making it a relevant addition for players looking to counteract such strategies.
How to beat
Seismic Assault is a potent enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, posing a threat by turning lands into direct damage against creatures or players. Its capacity to use excess lands as ammunition can be a formidable strategy, particularly in decks with a strong land retrieval engine. However, this also suggests a window of opportunity to weaken or neutralize its impact on the game.
To effectively counter Seismic Assault, one approach is through enchantment removal cards such as Disenchant or Naturalize, allowing you to directly remove the threat from the battlefield. Alternatively, countering the card before it resolves with spells like Counterspell or Negate can prevent it from ever taking effect. Additionally, hand disruption strategies can be effective; cards like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can remove Seismic Assault from an opponent’s hand before they have the chance to cast it.
Another tactical move involves limiting the number of lands an opponent can keep in hand, thereby reducing Seismic Assault’s ammunition. Land destruction or discard effects can disrupt an opponent’s land base, making it harder for them to utilize Seismic Assault’s ability. By understanding and anticipating the strategies that rely on Seismic Assault, you can prepare appropriate countermeasures and maintain control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Seismic Assault MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and Seventh Edition, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Seismic Assault and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Seismic Assault Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-06-15 | Exodus | EXO | 101 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dermot Power | |
| 2 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 216 | 1997 | Normal | White | Greg Staples | |
| 3 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 216★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 4 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 219 | 2003 | Normal | White | Greg Staples | |
| 5 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 219★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 6 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 228 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 7 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 146 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Adam Paquette |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Seismic Assault has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Seismic Assault card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-12-07 | If an effect instructs you to draw cards and then discard cards, you can’t take actions in between. For example, if you have no cards in hand and cast Faithless Looting, you can’t activate Seismic Assault’s ability between the time you draw two cards and discard those two cards. |